Ethereal Quotes

 

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"Holding onto anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." 

The Buddha 

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The Metaphors of God: 

Are the streets paved with gold? Has Christ prepared a mansion for me in heaven to live in?

Advice to keep in mind from Saint Ephrem, when reading Revelations and other scripture that attempts to describe God and His wonder.

"Do not let your intellect be disturbed by mere names, for Paradise has simply clothed itself in terms that are akin to you; it is not because it is impoverished that it put on your imagery; rather, your nature is far too weak to be able to attain to its greatness, and its beauties are much diminished by being depicted in the pale colours with which you are familiar."

Good old Saint Ephrem.

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Seven Sins in the World:

'Wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, worship without sacrifice and politics without principle.'

Mahatma Gandhi

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"We may judge of the secrets of the soul by their manifestation in the man's conversation."

 Charles Spurgeon

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"Far be it from us to seek a crown of honour where our Lord found a coronet of thorns."

Charles Spurgeon
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"The death of the martyrs blossoms in the lives of the faithful."

Pope Gregory the Great - 590 to 604 AD

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"He was created of a mother whom He created. He was carried by hands that He formed. He cried in the manger in wordless infancy, He the Word, without whom all human eloquence is mute.""

 Augustine

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"If any speak ill of thee, flee home to thy own conscience, and examine thy heart; if thou be guilty, it is a just correction; if not guilty, it is a fair instruction; make use of both, so shalt thou distill honey out of gall, and out of an open enemy create a secret friend."

A.W. Tozer

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"Christ is the object of our life. As speeds the ship towards the port, so hastes the believer towards the haven of his Saviour's bosom. As flies the arrow to its goal, so flies the Christian towards the perfecting of his fellowship with Christ Jesus. As the soldier fights for his captain, and is crowned in his captain's victory, so the believer contends for Christ, and gets his triumph out of the triumphs of his Master. 'For him to live is Christ'."

Charles Spurgeon - Morning and Evening Devotional

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A Warriors Cry

Amidst the battle’s rage I stood,

Wielding shield and sword and spear.

Assailed by unrelenting hordes,

Dressed darkly in their gear.

“Remember footing”, I cried,

And braced to stand their test.

“To stand on slippery slopes is death”,

“I know that rock is best”

 

My heart was fixed, “I can not turn,” I argued through the shrill.

“If all is lost, I’ll regret not cost, and die upon this hill”.

Then amongst the throng rose a battle cry,

Above the notes of fear.

I turned to see who trumps this shout,

So exquisite and austere.

Brandishing blade beside me stood,

One dressed in blazing light.

I could but barely look at him,

His mail and shield so bright.

To find myself amidst this storm,

Full battledress, this other.

I really didn’t recognize Him,

Until he called me brother.

“Come now", he sang, "let’s fill our cups and tread the grapes of wrath”

“Lets undo and reek havoc, this that stands before our path”  

I turned afresh, my heart ablaze,

With new found strength of soul.

“Uncircumcised, we’ll see who slays”,

“Tis now you pay the toll”.

Upon that hill I did not die,

Ne’er mortal wound did land.

Then a voice so clear resounded,

As the sea upon the sand.

“Do not ever fear their threats of gloom, but settle on my word”.

“For from this hill I conquer still, my armour you must gird”.

His voice continues to echo,

Upon each hill I mount.

His armour, I bear tightly,

Through them I will surmount.

I know he watches closely,

His hand ever upon the hilt.

To slay those bold accusers,

And lift me by his lilt.

© Donald Sutherland

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A Letter from the Lover of My Soul

My friend I send a trust,

More sure and true for thee.

Much more then empty hopes and promise,

False contenders’ feign by plea.

No flowers of deceit I bring,

That wither in your hand.

Nor mired drinks that fail to quench,

The thirst for love that pangs.

Your cry within for worth has seemed,

So far from healing mirth.

But beg you, come near and hear the song,

Its’ melody of worth.

For no height, no depth, no length, no width,

Can ever surpass its span.

Measureless it outshines the lot,

And removes your stalwart bands.

Parodies of parodies,

The false suitors will entreat.

But I have come to give you life,

And life that will be sweet.

Come now; drink full, this minstrel’s trill,

Do not forsake the dance.

For I will lift you from your pit,

And free you from grief’s trance.

Donald Sutherland

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"It is only the fear of God that can
deliver us from the fear of man."
 

John Witherspoon

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"A little faith will bring your soul to heaven ,
but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your
soul."

Dwight L. Moody

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"If our hands are not clean, let us wash them in Jesus' precious blood, and so let us lift up pure hands unto God. But "clean hands" will not suffice, unless they are connected with "a pure heart." True religion is heart-work. We may wash the outside of the cup and the platter as long as we please, but if the inward parts be filthy, we are filthy altogether in the sight of God, for our hearts are more truly ourselves than our hands are; the very life of our being lies in the inner nature, and hence the imperative need of purity within. The pure in heart shall see God, all others are but blind bats."

Charles Spurgeon - Morning and Evening Devotional

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"If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this."

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish author and scholar.

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"The glory of Christianity is to conquer by forgiveness."

William Blake (1757-1827) British poet and painter.

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"If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today."

Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) Preeminent leader of Indian nationalism. 

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"I believe in Christianity as I believe in the rising sun; not because I see it, but by it I can see all else."

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish author and scholar.

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"If I find within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

C.S. Lewis 

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"Christ's suffering is for propitiation; our suffering is for propigation."

Tson's interpretation of Colossians 1:24

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"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried."

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) British journalist, novelist and poet.